PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TERMS OF SERVICE

UPDATED 14/07/2025

1. Term and Termination

This Agreement will commence for an initial fixed term of six (6) months, during which early termination by the Owner will incur an early exit fee of £1,000.

After the initial term, the Agreement continues on a rolling three (3) month notice period. Either party may terminate the Agreement by giving three (3) months’ written notice.

The Agent may also terminate this Agreement at any time with immediate effect if the Property is, in the Agent’s sole discretion, deemed unsuitable for the purpose of short-term rentals, including but not limited to reasons such as:

  • Repeated guest complaints;

  • Failure to meet safety or regulatory compliance;

  • Excessive wear, damage, or poor condition of furnishings or infrastructure;

  • Noise complaints or issues related to neighbouring properties;

  • Area unsuitability due to crime, access, or other local factors;

  • Refusal by the Owner to upgrade, repair, or resolve maintenance or safety issues when required;

  • Any other factor or condition the Agent reasonably believes will materially impair the guest experience or the Agent’s ability to manage the Property effectively.

2. Appointment and Authority

The Owner appoints the Agent as the exclusive managing agent of the Property for short-term lettings. The Agent is granted full authority to:

  • Manage all guest-related matters, bookings, and listings;

  • Operate the Property for short-term accommodation purposes;

  • Manage and incur expenses reasonably required to operate the Property, including cleaning, maintenance, linen, and consumables.

3. Agent Responsibilities

The Agent is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Property in relation to all short-stay letting activity and agrees to:

  • Manage and market the Property on OTA platforms (e.g. Airbnb, Booking.com);

  • Coordinate guest communications, vetting, check-ins/outs, and reviews;

  • Coordinate professional cleaning, laundry, restocking, and guest preparation;

  • Resolve guest complaints or concerns to minimise refunds or negative reviews;

  • Notify the Owner of material damage or maintenance issues within 28 days;

  • Attempt to recover damage costs through platform channels or guest deposits;

  • Provide monthly revenue statements and payout summaries;

  • Provide access to the Owner’s calendar account for real-time visibility;

  • Restock basic consumables (toilet paper, hand soap, etc.) at cost of labour plus materials;

  • Authorise urgent repairs or maintenance up to £300 without prior consent;

  • Act in the best interests of preserving revenue and review quality.

Office Hours: The Agent operates Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 6:00pm, excluding public holidays.
Requests outside these hours will be actioned during the next business day.


4. Owner Responsibilities

The Owner agrees to:

  • Ensure the Property is in a legally compliant and lettable condition;

  • Provide up-to-date gas and electrical safety certificates;

  • Maintain valid building, landlord, and public liability insurance covering short-term lettings;

  • Supply at least 3 complete sets of bed and bath linen (unless using the Agent's linen service);

  • Provide operational instructions for all appliances and systems;

  • Provide 2 full sets of keys/fobs (1 guest, 1 emergency);

  • Keep all utility accounts active and registered in the Owner's name;

  • Provide uninterrupted broadband service.
    Agent assistance with setup is available on a quoted basis, but is not included in standard management fees.

The Owner is responsible for:

  • Ensuring appropriate waste collection arrangements (especially for properties not in managed blocks);

  • Addressing communal or building-wide issues;

  • Resolving safety and maintenance issues promptly;

  • Ensuring the property is compliant with all fire safety and short-term rental regulations applicable in the relevant jurisdiction;

  • Ensuring the property is in good condition for letting prior to the first booking, including thorough cleaning and full functionality of all domestic appliances (unless otherwise agreed with the Agent).

Landlord Stays and Access

If the Owner intends to stay at the property, they must coordinate this with the Agent in advance to confirm availability. Confirmed guest bookings will always take priority.

If the Owner requires unscheduled access to the property, at least 72 hours' notice is required to ensure guest privacy is respected.

Maintenance Responsibilities

The Owner remains responsible for all maintenance costs associated with the property and agrees to the following routine maintenance schedule:

  • Annual professional carpet cleaning (where applicable);

  • Repainting of painted walls and review of wallpapered walls annually, with repairs/replacements as needed;

  • Annual servicing of any gas boiler and fire extinguishers (where applicable);

  • Condition of mattresses to be reviewed every 3 years (must be CRIB 5/Source 5 compliant) and replaced as needed;

  • Review and replacement of soft furnishings every 3 years as needed;

  • Review and replacement of electrical items every 3 years as needed;

  • Annual review and replacement of ancillary items (e.g. utensils, cookware, decor);

  • Annual PAT testing of all portable appliances (TV, kettle, toaster, microwave, etc.) with records retained and available on request;

  • Review of kitchen appliances every 3 years with replacement where necessary due to wear and tear.

5. Cleaning & Linen

  • Changeover cleaning will be charged to the guest when possible. Where not, the cost is borne by the Owner.

  • The Agent may conduct periodic deep cleans to maintain guest standards.

  • Guest toiletries may be provided upon request at Owner cost.

  • For longer stays, the Agent will coordinate biweekly cleaning.

6. Damage & Maintenance

  • The Agent is not liable for guest-caused damage, wear and tear, or lost revenue due to property condition.

  • The Agent shall not be held liable for any costs, losses, or damages resulting from guest activity where reasonable efforts have been made to recover such costs through the applicable booking platform or directly from the guest, and those efforts are unsuccessful. The Owner acknowledges and accepts the financial risk associated with guest-caused damages that are not recoverable.

  • The Owner authorises the Agent to carry out repairs up to £300 without prior approval.

  • The Owner remains responsible for all maintenance costs unless recovered from the guest.

  • The Agent is not liable for contractor delays or workmanship and recommends that Owners hold adequate service policies.

7. Waste Management

If not in a managed block, the Owner must arrange regular refuse collection (e.g. via Business Waste).
Additional costs for private collection will be passed on to the Owner.

8. Safety & Compliance

The Owner agrees to:

  • Provide an up-to-date Fire Risk Assessment;

  • Install CO2 alarms where required;

  • Provide fire blankets and a first aid kit;

  • Ensure all safety measures comply with applicable legislation.

9. Utilities & Internet

  • The Owner is responsible for setting up and paying for utilities in their name;

  • Smart meters are recommended where possible;

  • Internet must be active before listings go live.
    The Agent does not attend installations. If assistance is needed, it will be quoted case-by-case at the Agent’s discretion.

10. Communication

The Owner agrees that all day-to-day communication with the Agent shall take place via Slack, using a dedicated group channel set up by the Agent. This channel will be used for:

  • Daily operational communication;

  • Delivery of monthly reservation and revenue statements;

  • Notifications regarding maintenance, damage, guest matters, or other key updates.

The Slack channel is considered the primary and official method of communication under this Agreement.

The Agent aims to respond to all Slack communications within 24 hours during office hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–6:00pm, excluding public holidays).

The Owner may use email for:

  • Providing documentation (e.g. certificates, invoices);

  • Serving formal notices;

  • Communicating in the event they cannot access Slack or have not yet been granted access.

Email responses may take up to five (5) working days. Slack should be used for any time-sensitive matters.

The Agent is happy to arrange phone calls to discuss important matters when required, provided these calls are:

  • Pre-arranged with reasonable notice;

  • Scheduled at a mutually convenient time.

The Agent also offers the Owner a video-based review call one month after the property goes live, as well as optional quarterly review calls thereafter to discuss performance, feedback, or suggestions for improvement.

11. Financial Terms

  • Management Fee: 15% plus VAT of gross rental revenue (after OTA fees, before costs of sale);

  • Monthly software fee of £42 will be deducted from payouts;

  • Additional charges (parking fines, chargebacks, supplies, etc.) are billed to the Owner;

  • For claims under £75, the Agent may decline to pursue to avoid guest retaliation;

  • If the Owner accepts pets, they accept any associated risks of damage not recoverable from guests.

12. Guest Terms Acceptance

The Owner agrees that all guests must accept and adhere to Stayful’s standard Guest Terms and House Rules.
These rules are enforced by the Agent, and non-compliance may result in penalties to the guest or termination of their booking.

13. Insurance Requirement

The Owner confirms that:

  • They have appropriate landlord/building/public liability insurance in place;

  • Their policy permits short-term/serviced accommodation use;

  • They will provide proof of such insurance upon request.

14. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute, the parties agree to:

  1. Attempt resolution in good faith;

  2. Refer the matter to mediation or arbitration before initiating legal proceedings;

  3. Submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales only after exhausting alternative dispute resolution.

15. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure to perform obligations under this Agreement if such failure is due to causes beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, government restrictions, natural disasters, or platform-wide system failures.

16. Exclusions & Limitation of Liability

The Agent is not liable for:

  • Guest actions or non-compliance;

  • Recovery of damages where insufficient evidence is provided;

  • Booking platform decisions or payment gateway chargebacks;

  • Lost revenue due to cancellations, overstays, or service interruptions;

  • Maintenance or communal repairs not under Agent control;

  • Calendar or booking updates accessible via Owner login.

The Owner agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Agent from any claims or losses arising from:

  • Property-related injury or damage;

  • Failure to meet legal safety standards;

  • Contractor issues not directly caused by the Agent.

17. Entire Agreement

This Agreement constitutes the full agreement between the parties. Any changes must be made in writing and signed by both parties.

18. Amendments and Updates

The Owner agrees that this Agreement is subject to updates from time to time by the Agent. The most current version of the Agreement will always be available at [insert link to agreement page on Stayful’s website].

The Agent will notify the Owner of any material changes to the Agreement via Slack or email. Continued use of the Agent’s services after such notification shall constitute the Owner’s acceptance of the updated terms. A new signature will not be required for updated versions unless the Agent expressly requests one.

In the event that the Agent makes material changes to this Agreement during the fixed initial term, and the Owner does not agree to those changes, the Owner shall have the option to continue under the terms originally agreed until the expiry of the fixed term, or to terminate the Agreement early without incurring the early exit fee. The Agent shall determine, in its reasonable discretion, whether the proposed changes are material.

19. Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by the laws of England and Wales. Disputes shall be resolved under the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.